The Great Ruler

Chapter 356 - Painting

Bang!

Within the Spiritual Array House, a gigantic black-coloured glowing pagoda appeared, protecting Mu Chen within it, while blocking all of the frightening Spiritual Energy streams heading towards him.

As the erratic Spiritual Energy smashed against the glowing black pagoda, the body of the pagoda started to shake and hum.

Bang! Rumble!

After the wave of attacks were blocked, the interior of the Spiritual Array started to change, and the gigantic Spiritual Array at the outermost boundary started to slowly revolve. In the next instant, Spiritual Energy fluctuations that would make even a Heavenly Completion Stage expert change face started to radiate out.

The Spiritual Array House had felt the tyrannical power of the glowing black pagoda, and was attempting to use an even greater force to destroy it.

The glowing black pagoda had also sensed the incoming danger, since its body instantly started to faintly tremble. Black halos started to spread out in its surroundings, forming a defense as it attempted to forcefully block the incoming attack.

Bang! Rumble!

The gigantic Spiritual Array started to take shape at an extreme speed. After resolving, a streak of light, akin to a giant dragon, brandished its fangs and claws as it rushed out. As it shot out, even the space around it started to distort.

Under the giant dragon-like streak of light, even the glowing black pagoda appeared somewhat minute and insignificant.

Just as the giant dragon-like streak of light swept over and was able to smash into the black pagoda, Mu Chen, who was within the pagoda, furiously opened his eyes. At that instant, his eyes appeared transparent, almost as if they were made of crystals. They looked as if they were able to see through the myriad of things within the world, appearing extremely bizarre and mysterious.

Passing through the black pagoda, his gaze locked onto the giant dragon-like streak of light sweeping towards him. The power contained within it was simply not something that any ordinary Heavenly Completion Stage expert could endure.

If it freely impacted against the black pagoda, even it might shatter into pieces.

Rays of brilliance erupted from Mu Chen's transparent-like eyes, before furiously standing up. As he stood up, the gigantic black pagoda started to rapidly shrink, before re-entering his body.

As a result, Mu Chen was completely exposed to the giant dragon-like streak of light.

At this moment, the degree of transparency of his eyes grew increasingly clear. Locking onto the giant dragon-like streak of light, within his eyes, it appeared akin to a sea of Spiritual Energy, with countless Spiritual Energy streams coming together within it…

Seeing this, Mu Chen's eyes crazily flashed, before Spiritual Energy erupted from his body without a shred of restraint. In the next instant, transforming into a streak of light, he smashed head-on against the giant dragon-like streak of light.

As Su'er observed this spectacle happening, her little face instantly turned pale. She was able to recognise that this Spiritual Array was the strongest one within the first level of the Spiritual Array House. Even a Heavenly Completion Stage expert would definitely turn into ashes under its attack, with no trace of one's corpse.

"Elder Sister Ling Xi, please save…" Su'er spoke out urgently, while continuously tugging and shaking Ling Xi's jade-like hand.

Still in a daze, Ling Xi finally regained her clarity due to Su'er's shaking. Resisting the trembling within her heart, she frantically looked towards the light screen, before noticing the scene of Mu Chen rushing straight towards the giant dragon-like streak of light. Instantly, her beautiful face intensely contorted. With a raise of her jade-like hand, a streak of light shot towards the Spiritual Array House as she roared, "Stop for me!"

Humm.

Following her furious roar, the boundless Spiritual Light within the Spiritual Array House instantly dissipated. At the same instant, the gigantic revolving Spiritual Array within had started to slowly dissipate, bit by bit.

Within the light screen, the boundless and vast Spiritual Energy fluctuations dissipated, leaving everything empty and devoid. At this moment, Mu Chen's figure had also disappeared, almost as if he had been turned into ashes.

Losing all colour to her face, Su'er looked towards the interior of the light screen as her little body continued to shiver.

At this moment, a vacant expression filled Ling Xi's eyes as an indescribable feeling erupted from her heart. She had now discovered that she seemed to have made a mistake in something that was very important to her.

That black pagoda that had previously protected Mu Chen…wasn't that the same black pagoda within that painting? Why did he possess it? Although she had lost a lot of her memories, she still knew about that black pagoda, and it was very important to her…

Clenching her jade-like hands, her fingernails pierced her palms, bringing about intense pain. However, at this moment, she had yet to take notice of it, and continued to stare absentmindedly into the distance, almost as if she had lost her soul.

An adult and a child stood before the Spiritual Array House that had already transformed into its previous dilapidated stone house look. Not speaking a single word, a gentle breeze blew through, bringing about a bone-piercing chilling intent.

Crack!

Just as their bodies and hearts had started to turn into ice, the stone doors of the dilapidated stone house started to be slowly pushed open. In the next moment, a miserable-looking figure covered in blood walked out from it.

Slightly at a loss, both of them raised their heads and looked towards Mu Chen standing before the stone doors, covered in blood and deathly pale, before gawking out.

"Big Brother Mu Chen, you're still alive!"

Su'er was the first to regain clarity, and instantly shot forward in elation upon doing so. In the next instant, the little girl had already leaped and lunged towards him. Upon seeing this, Mu Chen hastily blocked her slender waist. As a wave of force came over, it caused the seriously injured him to spurt out a sliver of blood from his mouth. Making a bitter laugh, he thought, I'm truly slightly unlucky this time.

"Ah! Big brother Mu Chen! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Are you alright?" Upon discovering how heavy the injuries were on Mu Chen, Su'er frantically retreated, before exclaiming in panic.

Mu Chen weakly gestured with his hand. It was fortunate that he had refined his Lightning God's Physique; if not, he might truly be unable to withstand that lunge from her.

Whoosh!

Like a specter, Ling Xi's beautiful figure appeared before Mu Chen. At that moment, the usually cold and detached eyes that were far from any human emotion were filled with flood-like fluctuations as she stared tightly at Mu Chen.

"Please don't play with me like that, Elder Ling Xi…"

Seeing her actions, Mu Chen was frightened to the point of retreating two steps back, while his face grew increasingly pale. It could be considered that he was slightly afraid of this Ling Xi. Previously, he had truly almost died within the Spiritual Array House. If not for him opening his Heart's Eye at the critical moment, everything would point to disaster for him.

When Ling Xi noticed Mu Chen increasingly pale face, she felt slightly awkward. After hesitating awhile, she extended her jade-like hand and grabbed onto Mu Chen's arm, sending gentle and mild Spiritual Energy into Mu Chen's body to aid in the recovery of his wounds.

Mu Chen was now truly frightened by Ling Xi's action as his startled gaze looked towards the beautiful lady in a dress that's as white as snow. For close to a month, this was the first time that he had seen her unlike her usual cold and detached self.

This had made him feel extremely uneasy.

At this moment, Su'er was also staring at Ling Xi in astonishment. After all, she was much more familiar towards Ling Xi than Mu Chen, and clearly understood that she was, in fact, having a strong obsession with cleanliness. Let's not talk about touching a male's hand, there were even times where she wouldn't even wish to speak any words to a male. In the past, when Mu Chen was here for training, she would immediately chase him away the moment it end, refusing to allow him to even stay for an additional moment.

Furthermore, during the times when Mu Chen was too fatigued and had fainted, she would order Su'er to bring him back.

However, as the current moment, Ling Xi had actually taken the initiative and helped Mu Chen treat his injuries. This truly was too inconceivable.

Just like this, the atmosphere within the three of them bizarrely calmed down, with only Mu Chen feeling uneasy about enjoying such an extremely rare gentleness shown to him. After quite a while later, when the intense pain within his body had slightly lessened, he gave a dry cough while saying, "That's more or less okay, Elder Ling Xi."

Only upon hearing his words did Ling Xi relax her jade-like hand. Retreating a step, she stared at Mu Chen while asking, "You've opened your Heart's Eye?"

Nodding his head, Mu Chen replied, "I've managed to open it at the final moment."

While saying those words, a smile that contained happiness from relieving a burden surfaced on his face. After this period of training, he finally had some returns. As of now, he had already truly opened the Heart's Eye State.

This would result in an extremely huge increase in his cultivation of Spiritual Arrays.

Ling Xi faintly nodded her head, while continuing to stare at Mu Chen. This caused the latter to feel a shiver in his heart, who gave a dry laugh and said, "Sorry for the inconvenience caused during this period of time, Elder Ling Xi. Mu Chen gives his thanks. My injuries today aren't light, so I'll be heading back to recover."

Completing his sentence, he was prepared to leave. However, just as he had moved his body, Ling Xi's beautiful body appeared before him. Staring tightly at him, the fluctuations present within her eyes weren't the usual frosty and indifference fluctuations.

"I want to ask you a question." Ling Xi's voice sounded somewhat impatient; however, it still remained clear and pleasing.

"Leave awhile, Su'er." said Ling Xi towards Su'er, who was staring at them with a strange look in her eyes.

In doubt, Su'er nodding her head, before rolling her big eyes and reminding her quietly, "Elder Sister Ling Xi, Big Brother Mu Chen has a girl that he likes…"

Before completing her sentence, she hastily slipped away, afraid of infuriating Ling Xi.

Ling Xi started to gawk due to her words, before a pinkish hue blossomed on her snow-like skin. Feeling exceptionally embarrassed, she naturally knew what Su'er was thinking about.

Mu Chen also felt slightly awkward, but fortunately he was very clear about his limitations. He absolutely didn't assume that Ling Xi, who had treated him in such a cold and detached manner up to the point of causing huge confusion for him, would actually start to like him.

In actual fact, even having a favourable impression wasn't possible.

"Elder Ling Xi…may I know what you want to ask?" asked Mu Chen as he turned to look at Ling Xi. At this moment, the latter's beautiful and glittering eyes were still locked tightly onto him, almost as she didn't have the slightest intention of turning her gaze away.

As she continued to stare at Mu Chen, Ling Xi hesitated for quite a while, before a somewhat shivering voice rang out from her, "I want ask you, why is there that black pagoda within your body?"

"Black Pagoda?"

Mu Chen immediately gawked, before coming to an understanding. Ling Xi was talking about the Nine-layered Pagoda. However, this had made him feel slightly vigilant. The Nine-layered Pagoda was something that would appear after cultivating the Great Pagoda Art, while the Great Pagoda Art was left to him by his mother. This should also concern his mother, and according to what his father had said, his mother should be a very extraordinary person. Furthermore, she seemed to also possess an extremely formidable background. Therefore, being ever vigilant, he would not casually reveal such information to others.

"That's just a defensive Spiritual Artifact. There's nothing special about it," Mu Chen slowly replied, while similarly staring back at Ling Xi.

As Ling Xi continued to stare at Mu Chen, the expression within her eyes informed Mu Chen that she didn't believe what he had said.

Totally ignoring as to whether she believed it or not, Mu Chen smiled and said, "Can I go now, Elder Ling Xi?"

Ling Xi's beautiful eyes started to slightly waver. In the next moment, with a clench of her teeth, she extended her jade-like hand and grabbed Mu Chen's palm in a single go. Afterwards, she started to drag Mu Chen towards the depths of her courtyard.

Mu Chen attempted to struggled, but discovered that he was simply unable to escape from Ling Xi's grasp. Thus, he could only give up in helplessness. Now, he truly wanted to find out exactly what this Ling Xi wanted to do today!

In the distance, as Su'er, who had hidden away, observed Mu Chen being forcefully dragged away by Ling Xi, the expression on her little face instantly became surprised. Pressing her little hands on her cheeks, a bitter expression started to form on her little face.

"Oh, no…Should I go and inform Big Sister Luo Li…?"

Creak.

As the bamboo doors were pushed open, the speckless bamboo house came into Mu Chen's view. Ling Xi continued dragging him in, and with a wave of her jade-like hand, causing the doors to shut tightly. Only then did she relax her grip on Mu Chen's hand. Walking up to the praying mat, she proceeded to sit on it, before raising her charming face to look at the painting hanging on the wall.

While rubbing his hand, which had a red imprint on it now, Mu Chen's gaze was sizing up his surroundings, before finally resting on the painting hanging on the wall.

The rubbing hand slowly froze, bit by bit, as the expression on Mu Chen's face similarly did the same.

His eyes were frozen on that painting.

Within the ancient paint was a black pagoda. There were nine levels present on it, and it seemed as if it could encompass the heavens and earth. However, Mu Chen did not pay too much attention to it as his gaze was firmly locked onto the top of the pagoda. Present there was a figure of a sitting lady.

The figure wasn't distinct, and one could faintly discern her long hair fluttering in the wind, while a startlingly peaceful aura could seemingly be felt radiating from her.

Despite that, when Mu Chen saw the blurry figure of this lady, it seemed as though he was struck by lightning. An indescribable feeling gushed out from the deepest part of his heart. It was the deep, deep feeling of fondness that had stayed hidden for over ten years…

Within the deepest part of those blurry memories was an extremely gentle beautiful figure that seemed to be present. Holding the hands of a little infant, leaving behind a gentle smile.

That gentle figure had stayed within the deepest part of his heart for over ten years…

At this moment, Mu Chen's eyes had seemingly turned moist and blurry, while faint tremors shook his body. A hoarse voice, that had been suppressed for over ten years, rang out uncontrollably from the deepest part of his heart.

"Mom…"